Day 34 - Glenwood Springs, Co. - Arches National Park, Utah

I drove into Utah on the same day that I rode to the top of the mesa in Colorado National Monument.  I then headed for Arches National Park (just west of the border with Colorado on Hwy. 70). 

It was great scenery along the way after crossing the border into Utah.

There I go driving and taking pictures again, but I did not have a good place to stop, so that makes it legal ?

Definitely storm clouds brewing in the distance (this is looking east). 

Lots of large formations all around.

Great clouds help to make better pictures.  This is called 'Courthouse Tower" and stands apart from other formations.

A look at "Balance Rock" with a cloud that appears to be smoke comming out of the top.  Well I thought it could look like smoke, whatever.

Next are several pictures of what the park is named for - arches.

 Notice the cars at the right of this shot.  Then the same formation but closer and with people in the opening for prespective. 

And closer yet.

There are actually two 'arches" right together and looking at both it almost apperas to be a mask of a sort.

I got halfway through the park and decided that I was not enjoying everything.  The heat / crowds / rains & missing the Tour de France coverage on TV were just dragging me down.  I had a lot of fun but I felt that it was time to go home, so I did. 
Many great memories so no sence in pushing it.  I will finish up with the parks in Utah in October or next spring.
That is all for now.  I hope you enjoyed following my travels as much as I had doing them. 
Bob

Day 33 - Glenwood Springs, Co. - Colorado National Monument

I had been in Glenwood Springs years ago on a bicycle tour so I had several rides planned but.....   The rain had washed rocks down from the surrounding hills and the roads were a mess.  Also a bicycle path that parallels Hwy 70 through a beautiful canyon was flooded the Colorado River.  So I found a great RV park and did a little driving around.

They have a lot of "rocks" around here so everyone uses it for their town signs - no maintenance!

The town is situated in a valley with red sandstone hills all around.  It is a big ski town in the winter.

On to Colorado National Monument (located just west of Grand Junction, Co, - almost to the border with Utah).  As you can see from this picture, the park is on top of a large "mesa" and is surrounded by deep canyons. 
It is a 2,000` climb to get up into the park and is a very twisty road but great views from on top.

This formation is called "Independence Monument" and you can see the town in the background.

There are some interesting formations.

And great views.

The roads are in beautiful shape and I got to ride this one the next morning when there was no traffic.  The clouds were nice also.

Some big canyons that you could get lost in.......

The next morning when I rode my bicycle up to the top of the mesa and had to go through several tunnels.  This one was straight but another was curved and fairly long.  It was dark in there and a little scary if a car came while I was inside the tunnel.  The ride was 2,000` of elevation change but the road on top was great (see other picture).  Beautiful location and not to many people.
The end for today.

Day 32 - Boulder, Co. - Glenwood Springs, Co.

Leaving Boulder I had hoped to ride into Rocky Mtn. National Park which is just to the northwest.  Actually my ride started in Estes Park (a small town just outside the park).

 When I arrived at the park it was about 11:00 AM and the weather was looking  good - but it became a little overcast but warm.  I was able to get 8 miles into the park (which starts at about 7,500` elevation and crests at about 12,000` elevation).  My goal was to make it to the crest and return to my truck but the weather did not play fair.  It started to rain and I had to turn around, barely getting back to my truck when the clouds really opened up.
I was able to get a few pictures on the way into the park.

As you can see in this picture the weather was not the best but I decided to try a ride anyway.  The next photo shows the weather just before I turned around.  Of course I kept riding until I felt rain drops for a few minutes.

After that I headed west along Hwy. 70 to Glenwood Springs and it rained most of the way but it washed the bugs off my camper / truck.  Is driving and taking pictures (in the rain) against the law?????

All of the rivers along the way were full and running fast.  Thankfully the rain stopped before I got to Glenwood Springs.
On to Day 33.........

Day 28 - 32 - Hanging out in Boulder, Co.

I arrived in Boulder, Co on Thursday June 30 and stayed with Theda Drake (a former neighbor of mine) through the holidays.  I was able to enjoy time with Theda and her family which was great since I would have have not been able to find a camping spot.  Being able to enjoy the beautiful city of Boulder and do some hiking was much fun. 
I even got to go out to a "real lumber yard" with her son Roger, who is a wood worker (as a hobby).  This business takes logs (all locally grown) and mills them into planks.  Very interesting.  I only wish I had room to bring back several pieces but......

I even got to see several fireworks displays and see the first few days of the Tour de France.  I hated to leave but the open road was calling.
Continued on Day 32.

Day 35 - Arches Nat. Park

I know, you are wondering what happened to Day 28 - 34.  Well the short answer is that I was unable to get reception to post for Day 32 - 34 when I was traveling.  Day 28 - 31, I was staying in Boulder, Co. with a good friend and former neighbor during the holidays.  I still intend to post some great pictures for Day 32 - 34 but have been busy.
The reason that I have been busy is that I am HOME.  I was having a good trip but Thursday 7/7/11 it occurred to me that four factors were telling me it was time to head home.  Those factors were: the heat (95 degrees or so); the crowds (Utah`s parks are mobbed this time of year); it is the beginning of the rainy season (I had already had several major rain events with more to follow) and I was missing the Tour de France (bicycle race) coverage.  I know that is a weak set of reasons but that will have to do.
So on Thursday morning I was riding in Colorado National Monument (near Grand Junction, Co. - which is almost to the border with Utah on Hwy 70) / I then drove into Utah to Arches National Park and spent about five hours touring and taking pictures / then I decided to start driving home (it was 4:30 PM  by now)
and with the exception of a one hour nap in a parking lot outside of Las Vegas (somewhere), I was home by 8:00 AM  on Friday 7/8/11 morning.  That is right - 15 hours of driving through the night - did I say I wanted to get home?
I was a great trip and I packed a lot into the 35 days that I traveled.  I visited 15 different national monuments and parks / saw a lot of  town & cities / visited with friends in Boulder, Co. / drove 4,410 miles / averaged 16.9 mpg / spent $1,002.10 on gas / meet a lot of really nice people along the way & figured out how to work all of the things in my camper.  I will go back to all of the parks in Utah in the fall, when the crowds and weather are better.
Thanks for all of the feedback on the blog and I promise to finish the last few days of my trip very soon.

By for now - Bicycle Bob

Day 27 - Echo Lake - Boulder, Co.

Well if you have had the time to read all of this dribble that I am writing, you may be wondering if I really did ride Mt. Evans.  The short answer is YES and I do not think that I will be doing it again.  It was not a hard ride at first but near the top the wind and weather got to be a real test as you will see.  OK, so you want to see for yourself.
I will start with the sign, which of course has my last name - well the same last name on it.  This is at Echo Lake which is at 10,600` elevation and the campground (just behind me) where I stayed last night.

The next picture is just before I started the ride, at about 9:00 AM and as you can see the weather was a little overcast.  The temp. was about 65 and no wind but I wore arm & leg warmers (and took a few other layers for the descent)- more for the sun exposure.  There is just a sliver of Echo Lake in the distance below the snow capped mountain - looking west.

About 2 miles up the road I stopped and had a view back down to Echo Lake with a better view of the mountain range beyond.  You will be seeing a LOT more of those mountains, trust me.

At about 10 miles into the ride I saw a lot of cars stopped by the side of the road and this is what caused all of the excitement.  A mountain goat and her babies heading up the hill to who knows where. 

The babies were calling out to the parent who would go ahead a ways and then wait for the little ones to catch up.

As you can see a few more clouds are building and I am now above the tree line (the point at which there is not enough oxygen to support plant growth.  Looking north west and there are no guard rail on the side of the road.

This is what is left of a structure that had been at the summit since 1939.  It had a small snack bar and observation deck on the top level with a great view of the 360 degrees panorama.  This is the place that I visited in 1971 on a road trip from Washington,D.C. with a friend in my new VW Karmen Ghia.  I was sadden to find out that it had been destroyed from a gas explosion in 1979.  They left the foundation as a reminder.  The plaque is mounted in what is left of the building and tells it`s history.  If you click on the picture, you will be able to read the story - assuming you really care!

Here I am a the summit of Mt. Evans for the second time in my life but this time under my own power.  YAHOO!  That is the same mountain range in the distance that you saw behind Echo Lake.  You did not think I could do this without getting myself  in one picture!!!!!!  I later heard that the temp. factoring in the wind chill was 32 -34 degrees at the top - even though in Denver (which is a mile high & only 50 miles away) temp. was about 90 degrees the same day.

As you can see from this picture, the weather was not getting any better so it was time to descend.  The threat of rain, especially at this altitude would not a good thing - can you say "hypothermia" !!!!
Going down was interesting due to high winds / bumpy roads / car traffic & having to be braking all of the time to keep my speed down (that one is for you Debbie).

Here is Summit Lake (even though it is not at the summit) which is about 5 miles below the top of Mt. Evans.
Elevation about 12,800` and still cold.
Below is a shot of a big lake off to the side of the road and about 1,000` below me.

I could not pass up the chance to show how high the snow banks were on the side of the road.  This is one of the biggest and was about 20`  high and just beside the pavement (visible in the foreground).  I was told by another cyclist I met on the way up that just one week ago this road was closed due to snow. 

Another look at the clouds building told me to quit stopping to take pictures and get down the mountain.

Back down at Echo Lake and green trees (or for that matter trees at all).  It started to sprinkle a little just as I got to my truck and held off while I dissembled my bicycle to stow it in the back seat.  Good ride which took 2 hours going up and 1 hour back down.  I can cross that one off my "Bucket List".
I guess the thanks go to Mary for suggesting that I do Mt. Evans while in the area.  Of course I told her that I did not think I would included it in my travels.  Thanks Mary!
I will be staying in Boulder with a good friend until Tuesday morning.  It will be a vacation from my blog until about Wednesday.  I still hope to ride from Estes Park, Co. into Rocky Mountain National Park.  The only problem is the road through the park (that goes up to 12,200` or so) got a dusting of snow two days ago.  I will have to check to see if it is passable. 
That is all for now.

DAY 26 - Mueller State Park - Colorado Springs, Co.

I drove east with the intention of riding the "cog train" up to the top of Pikes Peak, which is just west of Colorado Springs, Co.   Unfortunately there had been two of the trains that had broken down that morning and the wait would be five hours (that would mean waiting until about 4:00 pm).  I decided to skip it and drive a short into Colorado Springs and visit a place known as "Garden of the Gods".  It is a geologic site and rather that bore you, I will show you.

This is a formation called "Balance Rock" and I could not resist getting myself into the picture. 

Anyway the place is full of "uplifted plates" or layers of rocks that have been tipped up on end.  It is a interesting place and there are paths to walk around to view the whole thing.
Then I headed back west on Hwy. 70 to Colorado Springs which is a nice little town.

This is the City Hall in Colorado Springs, Co. and reminded me of a Frank Lloyd Wright building (I found out that if you double click on the picture, it will enlarge).  

This is a nice little house in the town that I found on a walk around the back streets.  I enjoy seeing the "other parts" of any city.
Below is one of the business on the main street which has a date of 1880 on the trinagle at the peak.

The next pictures are from my drive up to the start of the road to the summit of Mt. Evans.  This is were I decided to spend the night at a forest service campground.

Welcome to Echo Lake ( elev. 10,600`) which is just outside the ranger district that surrounds park where Mount Evans is located.  Mt. Evans is the "highest auto road" in the United States.
I also realized that it had been 40 years (almost to the month) that a friend and I drove up to the summit.  I had always wanted to see the summit again but did not want to drive my truck, so the next best way was to ride my bicycle.  Why not -I as crazy as the next person......
I decided to attempt the bicycle ride the 14 miles up to the summit of Mt. Evans (elev. 14,260`) the next day.  I thought that by sleeping at 10,600` elev. would help with riding up the mountain given the elevation.
Will he make it - tune in for the next installment of what will he do next.
A Rocky Mountain goodbye.